Sidewalk dilemma: After shoveling, crosswalk entrances still blocked

It appears that the confusion over the city's sidewalk shoveling ordinance did not end with a tweak to the law a few years ago that exempted sidewalks on rear property lines that abut state roads.

The night before an expected slushy storm threatened to all to the mess already out there, city councilors and residents asked for clarification on where responsibility lies for making sure entrances to crosswalk are cleared after a storm.

Casey Starr, a Main South resident and employee of the Main South Community Development Corp., said she has the utmost respect for plow drivers who clear city streets during and after storms, but said an unfortunate side effect is the piling up of snowbanks that can block access to crosswalks. Ms. Starr also acknowledged that property owners often have a difficult time shoveling through the thick snowbanks left by the plows.

“It forces kids and parents with strollers into the street,” Ms. Starr told the City Council Tuesday night. “It's really a serious public safety issue.”

She said there seems to be some confusion among city departments on what to do about crosswalks. She said code officials have told her property owners are responsible for clearing crosswalks, but police have told her the only enforcement mechanism they have is regarding sidewalks.

She said that in the short term, the crosswalk entrances need to be cleared. But she hoped for a longer-term solution to avoid the confusion.

“With the last snowstorm, they've just been left alone,” Ms. Starr said.

Indeed, the sidewalk ordinance, which has proven a thorny issue for residents in recent years, does not contain specific mention of crosswalk access. The closest it comes is requiring property owners to clear any “accessibility ramping connecting a sidewalk to the traveled portion of any adjacent street.”

At-large Councilor Konstantina B. Lukes and District 4 Councilor Sarai Rivera sponsored a request for a legal opinion on the matter. Ms. Lukes said she hoped to get that opinion by the next meeting.

Ms. Rivera said she represents a district with a high number of pedestrians, schools, and high rise apartments for the elderly. She said blocked sidewalks are a real obstacle for people with disabilities, and also noted that the crosswalk buttons at many crossings are barricaded by snow.

“If you're in a wheelchair, it's difficult to get to it,” Ms. Rivera said.